- Jun 09, 2018 -

You’ve probably heard a couple of different ways of how to clean a baseball cap. Some might tell you that handwashing is the way to go. Others swear by dishwashers. Others still suggest that you can’t go wrong with a wash machines.

Here’s the thing: dishwashers and washing machines can cause problems, but handwashing is pretty safe. So, the recommended method is hand washing. It’s a simple and straightforward process.

Start with a stain-fighting laundry pretreatment. Add as much as you want until you feel like you’ve pretreated the cap enough. Make sure you focus on stains and areas that see a lot of sweat, like the band around the head.

Fill your sink with warm water and add a small bit of laundry detergent. Agitate the water to make it soapy, and soak the cap for up to three hours, working the water into the fabric. Use a clean cloth or a toothbrush to work the sudsy water into the cap.

After three hours, rinse the cap well with clean, warm water.

Stickers

If your hat has a sticker you want to keep, cover it with plastic wrap. Use a toothbrush dipped in warm water mixed with bleach-free detergent to gently scrub any problem areas of the baseball hat.

Preserving Color

If you’re concerned about changing the color of your baseball cap, use a damp white washcloth with a little bit of detergent on an inconspicuous part of the cap, like under the brim.

Rinse with a clean damp washcloth and let dry. You are safe to clean your hat if there is no color change; if the color does change, you should only use water to wash your cap.

Wool

If your cap wool, avoid soaking it in water. Use cool water and a damp washcloth to clean your cap. Make sure the detergent you use is safe for wool fabrics, and wash gently to avoid damaging the fabric.

Make sure your hat doesn’t contain a cardboard form before washing. These do not take well to being soaked for a few hours. Newer hats use a plastic form that can you can wash without a problem. Cardboard forms must be only spot cleaned. For sweat stains on the inner band, use a bit of shampoo on a damp washcloth.